


kiss on cheek

by bickz



Category: Ben 10 Series, Generator Rex
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Minific, Pining, Rare Pairings, Sleepovers, cheek kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-23 04:43:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13182609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bickz/pseuds/bickz
Summary: When Rex came over for movie night, he expected to watch another one of Ben's stupid action films.





	kiss on cheek

**Author's Note:**

  * For [matelotage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/matelotage/gifts).



> did someone say they wanted rex/ben? no one?? oh, okay,,,,
> 
> (this is all taylor's fault)

“What about this one?”

A short sigh, “Naah, too cheesy.”

“Then why do you own it?” There’s a laugh dancing around the words.

Ben shrugs, looking back down at his phone as he idly plays a game. “I have hoarding tendencies, I guess.”

“Mhmm, you could call it that,” Rex teases, taking a long glance at the mess that could be called Ben’s bedroom. To be fair, he doesn’t really have the privilege to judge considering the state of his own room. Then again, at least Rex doesn’t have several empty pickle jars littering the floor around his bed. He decides not to ask.

Several more minutes go by of Rex tiptoeing around discarded clothes and pizza boxes to pluck movies off of Ben’s bookshelf and desk, showing them to the brunet and being met with an apathetic frown. It doesn’t take long for Rex to get frustrated with this, giving up with an exasperated sigh and trudging over to where Ben lounges lazily on his bed.

“I’m going to blindly pick a movie, and no matter what it is we’re gonna watch it, okay?” Rex announces, looking annoyed with his arms crossed and his brow furrowed.

Ben finally looks up at him, raising an eyebrow and allowing a small half-smile. “Sure thing, pal. You’re my guest, afterall.”

Rex snorts and rolls his eyes at that. “Yea, and you’re a shitty host.” He turns away, and in his peripherals he catches sight of a Blu-Ray hidden under the bed. With a grin, Rex leans down and picks it up. “Hmm, what have we here?”

Curiously, Ben leans over the edge of the bed to spot the colourful cover of the case. He groans and slumps dramatically. “Oh  _ no _ , please not that.”

“Too late,” Rex sing-songs, already hurrying to pop the disc into the player. He thinks it’s one of those ‘anime’ things, if the cutesy cartoonish girls on the cover are anything to go by. But, Ben doesn’t seem like the type to like these sorts of shows. Maybe it belongs to Gwen or Julie?

A few moments later and Rex is flopping onto the bed next to an uncomfortable-looking Ben. The sight of the other boy sporting a distressed frown has Rex chuckling and nudging his shoulder playfully. “Aw, don’t be such a sourpuss. You had the chance to pick one of those bloody action movies,” he reminds his friend, still smirking.

“Yea, yea. Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Ben grumbles, sinking into his fort of pillows and blankets.

An upbeat tune draws Rex’s attention back to the tv, and he’s not surprised to watch as several pastel-coloured girls bounce across the screen to the beat. It’s all very cute, sickeningly so, and for a second Rex kinda regrets having picked this one. He settles back, stealing a pillow from Ben to prop himself up and prepare to endure…whatever this show has in store for them. Rex finds it difficult to follow along with the subtitles (of  _ course _ it has to be in Japanese), struggling to pay attention to what the characters are doing as well as figuring out their dialogue. He can already feel a headache coming on as the first short episode ends.

“I warned you.” Ben’s scowling, his eyes narrowed at Rex.

“And you had a chance,” Rex retorts. He feels a smirk creep across his face as he sees just how disgruntled Ben is. Something about bothering the other boy is really entertaining, makes his heart flutter against his ribs. Rex thinks he might be developing sadistic habits.

The next episode starts and the room fills with more high-pitched voices. Maybe Rex’s headache is actually from the dialogue and not from straining his eyes. He moves a bit, positioning himself closer to Ben and his pile of pillows and rests his head there. Rex closes his eyes for a moment and rubs at the bridge of his nose, needing a break from trying to read and watch and listen all at once. He sighs as he reopens his eyes.

“You okay?” Ben’s voice is low, close.

Rex blinks, looks out of his peripherals to find that the other boy is leaning over him and that he can almost feel his warmth. “Y-yea. I’m just… I’m not used to… uh, this.” Rex offers a small laugh, needing to hide how awkward he feels under that concerned gaze.

“If you need to take a nap, go ahead,” Ben insists. He moves around under his cocoon and suddenly Rex is being covered by a very warm blanket.

“Oh, uh, I think… I’m fine, really,” Rex fumbles. Still, he fixes the offered blanket over himself, trying not to think about how it’s saturated with Ben’s scent, his musky sweat and deodorant (the same pungent stuff he’s used since he was fifteen). 

Rex is almost thankful when there’s a sharp scream from the tv to draw both of their attentions. He’s not sure how much longer he could have bared to be under Ben’s scrutinising gaze. However, now Rex is distinctly aware of just how close they are. A few inches closer and Rex would be laying on top of Ben, not directly, but still. The room is suddenly too warm, too small, too stifling. Rex feels like the walls have begun to close in on them, pushing them closer and closer until all that exists is the two of them.

The only thing Rex hears is the thumping of his heart, and he wonders if he’s caught a fever. He’s never felt like this before, so insanely uncomfortable and on-edge over literally nothing. Maybe he does need to take a nap. Rex lets his lids flutter shut, takes a deep breath and allows himself to settle completely. He can still hear the shrill voices of the anime schoolgirls, but it’s not long before they become a mere din. 

Rex isn’t sure how long he’s been resting his eyes when he feels Ben shuffle around next to him. He wants to rouse himself awake, to assure his friend that he’s okay and that maybe he should go home for today. But, sleep still rests heavy on Rex and renders him immobile. Meanwhile, Ben has freed himself from his fortress of pillows and blankets, and he’s surprisingly quiet as he gets up to turn off the tv (his remote is lost somewhere in the void of his bedroom). When Ben returns, he stops right next to Rex.

“You awake?” he whispers, and he’s so close that his breath washes over Rex’s cheek. Rex has never been more awake in his life, but he fakes it, hopes that the mad blush creeping over his face is indiscernible in the growing darkness of the afternoon. “Guess not,” Ben concludes with a smile in his voice.

There’s no reason for Rex to pretend to be asleep. He doesn’t understand why he doesn’t just sit up, laugh about that silly anime, and go home like normal. But, something swirls warmly inside of Rex, makes his heart hammer relentlessly in his ears, has his stomach doing nervous flips. He’s still adamant that this is some kind of sickness, makes a note to talk to Holiday about it later. Right now, though, he’s trapped in this hell.

As Rex’s mind reels with his inner turmoil, he almost doesn’t realise that Ben is still hovering over him. When Ben’s warmth comes even closer, Rex could scream. What’s going on? Is Ben playing a prank on him? Should he ‘wake up’ now? Before Rex can decide on a response, he feels something soft and dry brush his cheek. Did he just--  _ No. _

Ben totally just kissed him.

Rex’s heart does a somersault, threatens to jump right out of his throat. He needs to push Ben away, because this is all wrong…right? They’re friends, they’re comrades, they can’t… but what if-- No, no,  _ no _ . Rex screams internally, conflicted with how he should be reacting to this. There’s a stern voice telling him to calm down and discuss it with Ben, but his heart tells him not to, tells him to commit those lips and smell and heat to memory because he may never get this again.

But, why does Rex  _ want _ this? He shouldn’t. Ben is his friend!

“I wish I could kiss you while you’re awake,” Ben whispers, cutting into Rex’s frantic thoughts. Clammy, shaky fingers come up to brush over Rex’s jaw, and he has to fight to not shiver under the gentle touch. “God, I sound so stupid.” 

And just like that, Ben’s pulling away, and Rex fears he didn’t something wrong without even doing anything at all. But then the mattress dips under Ben’s weight as he’s scrambling onto the bed and maneuvering himself into place next to Rex, making sure not to touch. Silence falls over them, and seconds feel like years as Rex’s mind continues to war with what he wants and feels, and what he should and shouldn’t do. He wishes he could still be asleep, wishes he didn’t have to pretend that that didn’t just happen. Because then he wouldn’t have to come to terms with the warm and fluffy  _ something _ that has been choking him up every time he’s been with Ben for the past few weeks, and the fact that maybe his friend feels the same.  

When Rex is sure that Ben has fallen asleep, he sucks in a deep breath and rolls over. Rex watches the steady rise and fall of Ben’s form, lets his eyes wander over his friend’s back and the bit of exposed skin where his shirt has ridden up. He shouldn’t be looking at Ben like this, has never let himself even consider it before, but now, after what just happened, maybe this is okay. Rex scoots closer, presses himself gently against Ben’s back. He waits for a response, for a sign that Ben is awake and wants to protest against this, but meets no resistance. 

Quietly, Rex props himself up to lean over Ben and gaze down at his sleeping face. He looks so peaceful, as if he hasn’t spent the past ten years of his life with a weird watch attached to his arm and having to fight endlessly alien invasions because of it. Rex can’t help a content smile, doesn’t want to resist the urge to lean closer and brush a few stray hairs out of Ben’s face. 

“Me, too,” is all Rex breathes out as he closes the distance between them and places an airy peck to Ben’s cheek. When he pulls back, for just a split second, Rex is sure that he saw Ben’s lashes flutter, but it’s too dark to tell.  

Still, it’s enough to spook Rex and have him quickly settling back onto the bed. He knows he should turn his back to Ben and create distance between them once more. But, he can’t pull himself away, wants to stay right here, with barely any space between his chest and Ben’s back. Rex steels his nerves, conjures a million excuses for being caught like this when they wake up, and allows himself to close his eyes and be lulled to sleep by Ben’s body heat and clean smell and soft breaths. He can deal with the consequences in the morning.


End file.
